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Kansas and Missouri close in on business border war truce

From Kansas City Business Journal

Kansas Commerce Secretary Pat George says his state is close to reaching an agreement with Missouri that could end poaching of businesses between the two states.

Missouri and Kansas have competed for several years by offering incentives to persuade businesses to move across the border. The moves often did not result in many new jobs or investments for either state.

George says local and state officials from both states have been meeting to discuss the issue.
He says the main hurdle is removing incentives that don’t produce economic growth without slowing states’ ability to attract new companies or persuade businesses not to move to another state.

The Kansas City Star reports that George says he isn’t sure if the negotiators will announce an agreement before he resigns in July.